Opera fans in Abu Dhabi are set for a magical evening as opera legend and Spanish tenor Placido Domingo takes the stage on Wednesday at the Emirates Palace.

In a concert that promises to resonate with greatness, Domingo will be singing in Italian, Spanish, German, French and English. He will be accompanied on stage by soprano Ana Maria Martinez and the Czech Philharmonic, conducted by Eugene Kohn.

Speaking to tabloid!, Kohn described the song selection as “an unusual mixture.”

“[The concert] is divided into two halves; during the first, Domingo will perform opera solos, which feature his tenor repertoire. In the second half, we will relax the classical theme and he will sing some Broadway selections and Spanish folk opera, which he grew up singing,” the conductor said.

The performance is part of the 10th annual Abu Dhabi Festival and Kohn revealed that Domingo has been commissioned to sing from his baritone repertoire for the festival. He will also sing in tribute to prominent composers such as Richard Wagner who was largely known for his operas in the mid-1800s.

Domingo started his career as a solo opera performer but he remains widely recognised as one of The Three Tenors, the group that made its debut in 1990 featuring Domingo alongside Luciano Pavarotti and Jose Carreras.

While he is primarily known as a singer, he is also a conductor and has been collaborating with Kohn since 1983.

“I am very blessed to be working with [Domingo] and I think it’s great that God has enabled us to work together for the last 30 years,” Kohn said. “[Domingo] is also a conductor so I always learn something from him and he is very flexible and forgiving.”

Domingo’s performance marks his third appearance in the UAE after singing in Dubai in 2002, and singing in a desert on the Abu Dhabi – Al Ain Road in 2007.

Despite having performed in every major opera house in the world, the Spanish legend enjoys his visits to the region.

“Domingo treasures his appearances in the Middle East and we are looking forward to the performance on Wednesday. Hopefully [people] will enjoy it,” Kohn said.

He described the Abu Dhabi Festival as a “prestigious event”, which makes the performance all the more special.

The sold-out concert starts at 8pm and will be preceded by a talk with Eugene Kohn that is free to attend for ticketholders only. The talk will be held at 7pm at the Conference Lounge Centre, room M001.